CD Store Romance
by AngelKairi
Summary: [au akuroku.] lives need to be made worth living. [TEMP. HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]
1. Same Old

**x-_CD Store Romance_**  
**1: Same Old**

"_Bitch!"_

"_Just get out-"_

"Make _me!"_

_An angry hoarse scream, and a slap. A door slamming. The sound of something delicate hitting that closed door. Seconds later, another door slamming and a car, screeching off into the night._

Story of his life, that. The pictures flashed by, his mind now ignoring them as he stared blankly at the screen from the white-sheeted bed. That was how it'd all ended – or begun – with his parents, when he'd been three. That was what it had been for him. Until now. His gaze rested on the sleeping blonde girl in the crook of his arm, three years younger than his twenty-one, her breath drifting over his bare chest; the image of serenity.

His gaze hardened. It was just about time for him to get rid of her too.

He would never let himself be controlled.

**-x-x-x-**

Forty-six minutes later, and she still hadn't woken. He sighed and slid out from her embrace and the bed carefully, deciding it wouldn't hurt to prolong the break-up a little. By the changing light of the small television set – it was still dark outside – he surveyed the room. His room.

Drab colours. Clothes on the floor – his and hers. Dirty jeans in one corner. A couple of posters up beside the covered window, more to hide the hideous brown-and-cream diamond wallpaper than for any real love of music, although he took pains to only select bands that he didn't actually hate; The Used, Pearl Jam, Nirvana. A built-in wardrobe, half open. No mirror save for a tiny one on the equally miniscule dressing table. An old light bulb in the center of the ceiling that lit the room almost as well as the TV did.

And beside the small bed, a table. Just a little one, with too much junk on its surface. A box of nameless pills. A handheld phone. An empty pack of cigarettes and several lighters – he really liked the fire. A tiny pocket knife. A fifty, rolled up tightly. Her lipstick and a packet of condoms she'd gone and bought just yesterday. An empty bottle of alcohol – he'd drunk it even though he hated all alcohol.

Hell. Why not stick a sign above it reading 'The Best Ways To Destroy Your Life' or 'Road to Debauchery And Crime' or even 'The Path To Sin City'?

Not that he really cared.

He grinned as the blonde began to stir. Good. He'd be free soon.

Knowing her habits – she took a long time to wake up – he pulled on plain black boxers and those dirty jeans and wandered out to the kitchen, grabbing the yellow lighter on the way out and flicking it, enjoying the sight of the tiny flame.

Down the hall, with its indistinguishably coloured carpet, and into the kitchen.

Awhoah. A place that really needed a clean. Well, once _she _was gone he'd be able to get to work on that, he told himself, even while knowing that he probably wouldn't.

Five strides and he'd reached the kettle; he really needed a bigger place. He started boiling the water, and spooned a half-teaspoon of coffee and two teaspoons of hot chocolate into an orange mug.

She should be out to the kitchen any minute now. He glanced away from the slowly building steam over the jug and over his shoulder at the round table. The night before, when he'd excused himself to go to the toilet, he'd placed an envelope right in the centre of the cleared table.

He'd been through so many girls, and he'd done this every single time: sent them away with just a letter. The contents varied, although only a little, from woman to woman – the size of the list of vices of each depended on the person and the mood he was in. This one was still fresh in his mind.

**Why I Hate You**

1. you're a little slut  
2. I hate Cruisers, and you made me drink them  
3. you're spending all my money  
4. you cheat on me every weekend  
5. you're fuck ugly  
6. you're too pushy  
7. your best friend's got a better ass  
8. you irritate the hell out of me  
9. I JUST HATE YOU

It was a good letter. Eight points and the mandatory "I HATE YOU" at the end, just the way he liked it. Eight was always his lucky number. If she asked, though, he had a mental list of complaints bigger than the Pacific Ocean to tell her.

Of course, the letter wouldn't be read until she left the house. He'd do his whole little sorrowful break-up act first, all the "it's not you, it's me" crap, and try to hold her while she sobbed and screamed at him. When she got too hysterical, he'd make her a cup of coffee while he made the pretense of packing her things, and then after another shouting match she would depart, hurling oaths and threats at the door which he'd slam after her. It was a never-fail plan.

Maybe not so much of the swearing, though, this time around. Alice might be the hottest little stripper from the 'Wonderland' club, but she still maintained her manners to a degree, no matter the situation.

The letter was the best way to insure a relationship would never be able to start again, he mused as he tipped the boiled water into his mug.

"Axel?" A sleepy, sweet voice called. Moments later, the scantily clad, blue-eyed beauty stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes like a child. He smiled and put down the mug, inwardly seething that she'd interrupted his caffeine fix before he'd even taken a sip.

_Showtime._

**-x-x-x-**

Two hours and thirty-six minutes later, Axel was cheerfully whistling as he swept up the last fragments of crockery from a lino floor that just about matched the disgusting wallpaper. It hadn't taken him that long to get rid of Alice, of course – the destruction she'd caused had taken the better part of two hours to clean up.

Hmph. He'd pack away the plates on the bench first next time.

Still, this was his favourite part, the aftermath of a relationship when the world seemed to offer so many interesting new things and it wasn't him who was left broken and hurt.

Axel was a sadistic bastard and he knew it.

Tossing the chips of white porcelain into the bin, he dumped the small shovel and broom onto the kitchen bench – plenty of time to put them away later – and headed down the short hall to his bathroom, to splash some water over his face and to run a comb through his red hair. Even spikes didn't looks so good if they weren't sleek.

Dressed now in black slacks and a black shirt, Axel left his small house, locking up as he left, and strolled down the street whistling again. He was determined to enjoy his first day of freedom.

**-x-x-x-**

Fifty-one minutes later, at 10:39 in the morning, he stumbled in through the doors of _X Music._

"Public transport is a blight upon the earth," he snarled at a brown-haired man about to shout a greeting, as he made a beeline around shelves for the beverage machine at the back of the store. "All public transport systems should be destroyed." Instead of inserting money, he hit the machine twice, punched in a code and grabbed the can of Solo that came tumbling out, completely ignoring the glare from the other man.

"Next time, pay, Axel," the other said, narrowing his eyes and sighing. "And what's got you so angry already?"

"I think I just said that," Axel retorted, pulling back the tab and taking a big swallow that made his eyes water. "Add cleaning the remnants of an angry ex in the house, getting half-fondled by some old woman, having my toes stepped on _five _times by a fat guy and missing a tram to that. _And _I'm hungry." He downed more of the can.

"Ah," the owner of _X Music _said in understanding, "you've ditched this one, too."

"Too right. And _don't _be a nosy bitch," the redhead cautioned his friend as he opened his mouth. "I might have to do something to you if you ask something."

"Do something like what?" Queried the man with the ocean eyes seductively, leaning against the drink vendor and smiling in a provocative way.

Axel snorted. "You know, I might've done something along your line of thought if we were sixteen again," he said, turning to scan the store. As always, the small place was packed, thanks in no small part to the presence of the best café in town upstairs. Customers jostled for attention at the two counters. Good thing there was a store guard – burly black-coated Lexaeus stood at the door, arms folded forbiddingly. He never let a single bag pass him without inspection. Axel frowned, suddenly noticing something. "Larx!" he shouted over the crowd.

"What?" Came the usual annoyed response; a tough-looking slight blonde with too many bracelets to count popped her head over a shelf near where Demyx and Axel stood.

"What's Yuffie doing over there? In the punk section." He pointed to the other side of the store, and Larxene came to stand beside him, going up on tiptoes to see.

She cursed. ""Bloody thieving ninja. Wait here a sec." Without waiting for approval or a reply, she melted into the crowd, frowning.

Demyx laughed softly. "You do more good down here than up at the café," he informed his long-time friend, jabbing a thumb up above them at the second level.

Axel smirked. "Up at the café pays better. And you need to tell Vexen that the music upstairs is off time with the music down here." He kept his expression neutral as his blue-eyed business partner's turned to one turned to one of horror and he hurried off. Vexen was the sound technician for the block of stores, and the _X Café _always played the same music as _X Music. _It was good for marketing, but it could be hell if the two sound systems were out, not only because it took time to get them back in sync but because it meant dealing with one of the coldest, freakiest men in the whole complex.

Larxene had returned, a furious, struggling dark-haired girl in tow. "Hello, Yuffie," he greeted the girl calmly. "How many was it this time?"

A blonde eyebrow quirked, and Larxene answered for the seething girl. "Two Fall Out Boy albums – she must've scratched her other copies, I know she's bought like fifty of those – a Queen's Greatest Hits, and Panic! At The Disco. And Celine Dion-"

"_What?_" Yuffie shrieked, raising herself to her full height as she spun to face the other woman. "_Now _you're lying! I have _taste, _woman! _Taste!_"

"You deny that you took the others, then?" Axel asked. The girl was too easy to bait, and he knew she would barely register that question.

"Like I said, I have _taste!_" the insulted petite woman answered, crossing her arms over her black-and-white top and pouting in the most affronted way she could manage.

"Oh really. What kind of taste?" Larxene sniffed disdainfully.

"Well, there's the two Fall Out Boys, and the Queen and Panic. Then there's Greenday – I don't have the Bullet and Bible one yet, whatever it's called…" she continued rambling on as the blond matched the redhead's expression of disbelief. It was hard to believe that someone so intelligent could fall for the same trick every single time – all it took was a mention of Shania Twain or some such singer for her to hotly defend herself.

When Yuffie stopped to recover her breath, Axel finally leaned in close to her, green eyes narrowed, and whispered "Get out of here," in the most menacing tone he could manage. After glaring right back at him for a long moment, she did just that with a cheery wave. Her mood swings were nothing short of miraculous.

Demyx laughed yet again from a few feet away. "Eyes like a cat, Axel. Good to see Yuffie's still same as usual, though. The moment she learns something new we're all in for an altogether different kind of hell."

Axel slouched, releasing the aggressive posture he'd kept while talking to the girl they all counted fondly as a sister, albeit a bratty, annoying one who couldn't keep her paws off anything. "I see you got the music back in sync," he commented, cocking an ear upwards.

"Ears like a cat, too."

"Mmm. Anyway, I'd better go have a look around upstairs-"

"That reminds me – that might actually be a good idea. Saix stormed out earlier. Not sure what that was about…"

"_What? _You have got to be kidding me. I've been here for twenty minutes and you only now tell me that Aerith's all alone up there with paying customers? We could all be out of a job by now! You know what she's like with making them pay the full amount, and donations…" he ran a hand through his spikes in frustration.

Larxene gave an unsympathetic snicker as Demyx laughed. The man was always laughing, either laughing or playing music or swimming. They were the three loves/obsessions of his life. "You know nothing about music, either, notwithstanding the note-perfect hearing, so you'd better get up there. We don't want you."

"Bitch. But you're right. What's even playing right now?"

"The Hush Sound. 'Wine Red.'"

Surprised, the green-eyed man peered over Larxene's shoulder to where the quiet voice originated. "Huh? Larx, there's some kid behind you listening in on our conversation…"

"Actually, that would be Roxas. He's new here; be running the errands between the store and the other shops, like the café. Dem probably only hired him because he's got an 'X' in his name too." Larxene snorted as the curious man stepped around her.

Axel barely noticed Demyx's unabashed shrug. He'd just caught sight of a pair of sky blue eyes.

* * *

So there you have it. Chapter one of CD Store Romance. Probably inspired by archy the cockroach's fics that I still need to review. And Chigai's The Fallen. Because yeah- I'm addicted to it. XD So so far, Axel's a total bastard, and he knows nothing about music even though he's got the ear for it. He's a waiter at x Café, as is Aerith, Saix and more later. Lexaeus is bodyguard at Dem's shop. Larxene and Roxas work at Demyx's X Music too, and there'll be another shop coming in later that's Marluxia's. Fear it. And if you know Fruits Basket, think along the lines of Ayame. And the fact that Xenmas – coughcoughmansex – is assisting him kinda says what it'll be like, right?

So. I like this one. I can be as bitchy and cynical and whatever I want. Much fun for a Tally. And Alice was Axel's girl at the beginning. Alice from Wonderland. That was a total smirk moment.

Anyways. Akuroku. Y'know, Miyori's got an akuroku cult. You should join. If you like this. And if you like this, be nice and review my drabble collection, akuroku xmemoriesx? Please?

Ciao!

**Tally. SilverAuthoress. _Rikku_. AngelKairi.**

**-x- **_crack!_pa**i**r**i**ng g**o**dde_ss _**-x-**


	2. Fun Times

**x-**_**CD Store Romance**_  
**2: Fun Times**

_How do anyone's eyes get so green? _Was his first thought. Understandably enough, the second was something along the lines of _you sound retarded, asking yourself something like that. Real deep, Roxas. _He flushed and wished he could duck behind the nearest shelves. He would have, if it hadn't seemed so rude, and if the man hadn't kept looking at him with _that _look in _those __eyes…_

Axel laughed a little under his breath, as though he'd heard his thoughts; the new boy blushed red again.

"So you're Roxas?" A hand stuck itself under his nose – quickly looking up in shock he realised it was offered by the flame-haired man, and grabbed quickly to shake it before it was withdrawn.

"Yeah. Mr. Iglesias offered-"

"It's _Demyx_. _Never_ call me 'Mister Iglesias' – God, I need a name change." The chocolate-haired man interrupted dramatically, scowling.

"Drama queen." Axel scowled right back and gave a brief, encouraging glance to Roxas.

Roxas took the hint, and continued gratefully. "He offered me a job, well, I had to apply first of course, but he asked if I really wanted the job and I said yes and we walked out of the office and he said something that I didn't quite catch about 'x's or something-"

"_All_-righty, that's enough," the _X Music_ owner announced, straightening his black coat self-importantly. "Can't be around talking all day, ol' chaps."

The last comment earned a glare from Larxene, who'd snuck around behind the new kid and now threw her arms around his neck gleefully. "'Chaps'? You mean as in 'all male'? And who, pray tell me, were you referring to, Demyx my effeminate chum? Axel and this new boyo here…?" She let it trail off as Demyx started stuttering, somewhat red.

Axel sighed, gazing off into the distance, as he made a mental note to stay reasonably polite whenever this sandy-haired youth was about. He was clearly at the impressionable age and all that…

_Ping!_

"Argh! Damn little bitch of a monkey whore, Yuffie! Get the hell back here so I can skin you, boil your appendages and feed your still-living flesh to the minions of Hell, damn you!"

Blue eyes narrowed as they followed the tall, imposing red-haired figure on his chase after the almost-resident ninja, then glanced back at the shuriken lying useless and almost innocent beside the drink vendor. "He's like this… all the time?" Roxas murmured, almost to himself.

"Ignore Axel's outbursts," Larxene said softly into Roxas's ear. "You get to know him after a while." She patted him on the shoulder and strolled away, whistling.

**-x-x-x-**

"Tough day, yeah," Axel said later to Marluxia over the phone, twirling the black cord about his fingers. "New kid, Yuffie nearly screwed up the coke machine, my tram was late, Aerith gave almost a hundred bucks to some homeless old woman who showed up at the restaurant-" he wrinkled his nose at the guffaw on the other end and continued "- let's see, Luxord tried to con Aerith into putting in a gambling strip on the Café level yet _again,_Selphie mixed up the drink orders for a bunch of teenagers and nearly gave them Bundy and Coke instead of Fantas, and Zexion had his pissy face on for the rest of the day after he and Saix fought over who was going to serve… uh, what's his name, Cloud, and Saix was so furious he stormed out and Zexion got it but Aerith told him off and he… yeah. Put his pissy face on. But enough of my day. You?"

A crackly laugh came through the phone. "Xenmas was really happy. Got so many customers today… I think the entire top level of the complex was full. Pity we can't move the Wonderland Club closer to us – we'd never be out of business then, not that we are anyway."

Axel sighed, then wondered if a wince was more appropriate. "Change of topic, please?" He asked, nicely enough.

Marluxia continued, obviously following a different train of thought. "It's really amazing – you guys are just about twenty metres from us, and I still never see any of you until after work."

"That's 'cause it's busy. The rigours of being the best complex in town."

He could just about hear the gay man's nod of excited agreement. "Totally _everybody_ wanted to live out their fantasies yesterday! Our nurse outfits, we had them on special, and they went like wildfire! I tell you, Xenmas is actually in a good mood… which is good for _me_, because I was getting sick of being on the bottom-"

"_Enough."_

"Okay, okay, sorry, I know you don't want details…"

"Not now, not ever," Axel cut in again. "Now, Larx was coming over to my place tonight. She said she's got a movie or two, and food. Lots of it. You coming?"

"Sure!" Said the ecstatic voice on the other end. "Nothing better than crashing a party with Xen-"

"Hell, do you have to invite your sex slave?"

"He's not _my_ sex slave, Axel, I'm _his_," Marluxia explained gleefully to Axel, who just groaned. "Ah, but yes. No details. You want anything else? Who else will be there?"

Axel ticked the people off on his fingers. "As far as I know, it's me, Demyx, Larxene, you, Xenmas, ah, Saix and Zexion are still mad but I think Zex is coming…"

"Alice?" Marluxia asked. "What about her?"

"No… actually, I ditched her already-"

"You're _kidding_." It was the pink-loving man's turn to groan. "Already? Honestly. So that was why you bit me for mentioning Wonderland."

Axel blinked. '_Bit'?_"Well, maybe Larxene'll bring along a female friend or two."

"…I can't decide whether to snort or laugh." The other man said. "Mate, you and I both know that, oh, I don't know, let's say Saix, has five times more friends in general, let alone female friends, than Larxene does. Does sadistic-psycho-superbitch ring a bell??"

_He has a point there…_"Oh. Well, don't want one anyway." Axel told him, strangely grouchy.

"Fine, fine. I'll be there at eight, then?"

"Okay. Plan for eight, then you should at least be here by nine-"

"_Hey!"_

"Bye."

The dial tone heralded the end of the conversation. It sounded frail, insignificant, in Axel's empty house. _At least it won't be so lonely soon…_

**-x-x-x-**

Axel blinked twice at Larxene's stuffed yellow rabbit, but shrugged it off and let her past him. She shoved a bottle of champagne into his lanky hands with a muttered word of thanks and pushed into the house – obviously she wasn't too happy with the sudden shower of rain. He peered outside, making sure there was no one else, and went to close the door. Xenmas and Marluxia had arrived a little earlier, both with astoundingly dirty sexual innuendos, and had made themselves at home with cans of Pepsi – they both knew his distaste for alcohol, even though Larxene loved to ignore that fact – and were now relaxing on his couch. '_His_' being the key word. He hoped they weren't doing anything… _disturbing_… on it.

"Wait!"

_Huh?_ "What the hell, Larx, you've got a follower – hey! It's _you _again!"

The trainee boy stood on his doorstep, arms full with shopping bags and bottles of Coke. He paused, confusion in the blue eyes hidden under a dripping fair fringe. "Me? What'd _I_ do?"

"...Larxene."

"Yes, o' ferocious wonder of flamey goodness?" The waffly reply floated back to him.

_You dare to bring an uninitiated one into my home, you foul woman of foul womanliness? _Was what Axel would have liked to reply, had he wanted to imitate the dodgy cult flicks and Larxene in one badly worded sentence. However, the boy was still blinking at him. And two of the plastic bags looked close to spilling their contents, however well-bottled, across his foyer. So he opted for the safer option, grabbing a bag for himself and waving Roxas inside.

"What did I do…?" Roxas asked again, uncertainly.

"You… Ah, you did nothing." Axel said quickly, hoping to cover up his surprise. Larxene had already invited the boy out? To his place, of all places? Man, she _really_ liked this one. He held the door open a little wider, cocking an eyebrow at the shorter youth. "Larxene just doesn't usually take to people so quickly. Count it an honour that she even asked you to come."

Musing, he shooed him through, then followed the black-garbed boy into the dimly lit hall.

**-x-x-x-**

"Shit." He scowled just a few moments later as the doorbell rang again, followed by repetitious banging on the door. "Guys, don't you _dare _start up again in my absence."

Larxene nodded ferociously, glaring at Xenmas, who was now sitting politely beside a prettily blushing Marluxia. "Not in front of the kid." She jabbed a thumb at Roxas, who was bright red. "He doesn't need to be traumatised this early in life." In her other hand, she held a broom, which she shook menacingly.

Axel grinned a little as he left the cramped living room; they'd just got settled in, after having to separate the two lovers. All in all, it was an amazingly comfortable atmosphere, although Roxas hadn't been introduced.

Demyx stood on the tiny verandah, singing Britney Spears at the tops of his lungs, head nearly hitting the low light globe that was surrounded by insects. Axel very nearly slammed the door in his face again, except that a heavily booted foot stuck its way in. Axel narrowed his eyes at the black polished boot and slammed the door again, smirking at the yelp of pain. "Serves you right."

Tearful green-blue eyes stared reproachfully at him. "You didn't have to be so mean, Axel," Demyx whined, trying to nurse his foot and almost falling over. Behind him stood Zexion, with his 'my-arms-are-crossed-so-come-near-me-and-I'll-bite-you-because-this-is-my-pissy-face-hear-me-rawr' attitude in place. The red-haired man looked over the two – both were dressed in black, just like everyone else who had filtered in through his doorway that night – snorted, and stood aside to let them through. "Roxas is here. And Larx and I had to break up a make-out session between Xenmas and Marluxia-"

"I think you're behind the times, m' Flaming Axie," said Demyx cheekily, slinging a gangly arm over the other's thinner shoulders. "Homosexuality is _in_ right now, or didn't you notice?"

Red spikes shook as he hit Demyx across the back for the name and grunted sourly.

"Don't you see, Axel?" Demyx said brightly, sweetness oozing from his words. He hung off his taller friend's shoulders as purple-haired Zexion brought up the rear. "This is our big chance! The one where we get together again! We can be a couple! Go out! Make out! Have sex! Dirty hot sweaty buttsex!"

"What?"

"Shut up, Dem. You're lucky I still talk to you." Axel growled. "And look, you've gone and freaked out the new kid. Sorry, Roxas, he's just a dickhead. Literally. Ignore him." Roxas was looking scared, very much so, and actually appeared bothered enough that he was edging closer to _Larxene_, of all people. It was not the happy night he had envisioned thus far.

"Touché, my love," Demyx said lazily, unperturbed as he drifted across the room to seat himself on the end of the couch occupied by Marluxia with Xenmas on the other side.

"I think I already told you to shut up," Axel said through gritted teeth. "Larx. What'd you bring to eat?"

"Nothing." She told him nonchalantly with a piercing look of ice, lounging between Zexion and Roxas. "Dem's supplying dinner tonight." It was funny – even though the swell of her more womanly attributes were showing through the black jumper she now wore, Axel could not even picture wanting to jump her. It would probably frizzle his manly parts, or something. It was not hard to turn his thoughts from it, whenever they popped up.

"What is it then?" Axel turned, arms crossed, and asked the musician testily.

"Fried rice. And garlic bread. The rest of you brought drinks, right?"

Larxene brandished her bottle of sparkly triumphantly. "Cheers to being the only alcohol-drinker in the room right now!" Zexion edged closer to her, eyes on the bottle, and she smirked at him. "And so far, it's mine." She told him smugly. He lunged for it.

While those two were battling it out, their host looked across the room at Marluxia, who was actually behaving himself. "You were the first ones here tonight," he pointed out, subtly surprised. "Does that mean you were early or the others were late?"

A wolfish grin flashed at him. "The others were late. It was ten past nine when we got here."

"Oh." _Should I feel hurt by that? _Pulling his eyes away from his friend, he looked around, and his gaze was snagged again. By a pair of blue ones. It was an effort to wrench himself back to the present. "Dinner on Demyx, anyone?"

A chorus of yells followed his query.

**-x-x-x-**

"So kid. What's your name?" Stern-looking silver-haired Xenmas asked pleasantly enough, between mouthfuls of rice.

Roxas glanced up, startled, and blinked uncertainly. "Me? Roxas. I just started work today at Mister Demyx's CD shop."

"Aaahh. Another X for the collection. Congrats, mate, you are now a member of the exclusive 'hey-I-have-an-'x'-in-my-name' club. Well done." Marluxia smirked, wiping his mouth as he watched with amusement Demyx's expression of distaste at the "Mister".

"Eh?"

"Never mind," Larxene cut in quickly, effectively rescuing the boy from more confusion. "The one who just asked you that, he's Xenmas. Zexion works upstairs in the _X Café_ with Axel, and Marluxia there-" she jabbed a derisive thumb in the vague direction of the suddenly wounded-looking man "-is Xenmas' second-in-command."

"I'm second?" Marluxia grimaced, sulking. He was ignored by the rest of the party.

Roxas hung on to the blonde woman's every word, nodding quickly. "Uh… anything else I should know?" he asked, hoping he wasn't being rude.

Icy blue eyes glimmered as they looked him over. "Just, uh, be fun. Everyone likes you if you're fun. Well, that's true of the later workers at the restaurant, and the CD shop, and Xen and Luxia's, uh, play house, but us earlier people have our own unique personalities, so we're still cool."

"What she means," quipped Demyx, "is that she's a bitch, which means she gets away with everything. Marluxia has only lasted because he has one hell of a sense of humour, and all the 'x' people usually get on well in the place. Apart from that, though, we're more into people with the appropriate skills, like Aerith with her people skills, even though she's way too soft-hearted, and yeah. That's about it."

"I doubt that." Zexion snorted suddenly. "You can't tell me you hired Selphie because she's good at something…"

Axel laughed at that. "Nah, she's there because Xigbar saw her and gave her the job on the spot – he thought she was the 'most beautiful creature' he'd ever seen, apparently."

Amidst all the laughter, the new boy managed only to look lost. "Ah… what's so funny, exactly?"

Zexion took it upon himself to explain. "Xigbar wears an eye patch, so he's basically got only one eye. We always thought it only affected perspective, but whatever. And Selphie's not exactly coordinated – she's probably the clumsiest person I've ever met."

"'Cept Yuffie," Demyx countered, grinning as he polished off his garlic bread and pouted reproachfully at Larxene when she yanked her glass of champagne out of reach.

"Yuffie isn't clumsy," Axel jumped to the black-haired girl's defence. "You know that. She just never thinks, or looks before she leaps. That's all."

"Yuffie." Roxas interrupted, and flushed when Axel glanced curiously at him. "That girl who tried to steal the CDs today?"

"She tried _again_?" Marluxia snickered. He reached over to nibble a piece of Roxas' bread, the boy hardly noticing. "She never gives up, does she?"

"Nope. You saw that, did you?" The redhead asked the boy, who nodded. "Well, get used to it. It's kinda part of the daily routine at the store now."

"You spend _way_ too much time in the store, y'know that Axel?" Demyx said. "Hell, the only thing you don't know about the place is the music itself – I guess that makes you useless, even if you know everything else."

Axel flicked a piece of rice at his friend, frowning. "Don't care." He looked around. Everyone appeared to be finished. "Should we go watch that movie now?"

"Hell yeah!" Larxene cackled, as everyone glanced at her in surprise. "We're watching _Pirates of the Carribean_. I love that Johnny Depp."

Marluxia brightened suddenly. "Depp? That guy is _hot_ in this movie."

"And gay." Demyx added.

"It's settled, then." Larxene grinned at the groaning Xenmas and the stiff Zexion, and nudged the smiling boy beside her in the ribs. "Not that there was any doubt. Pirates, here we come…"

**-x-x-x-**

All was quiet. Lonely again, he reflected. He hated that. He hated it so much, he just wished sometimes he would burn the house down, or shoot himself in the head, or overdose.

He _hated_ being lonely.

Wandering through the lounge room, with the TV still going, he stared blankly at a Twistie lying on the ground, then picked it up and chucked it in the bin, dusting the cheesy stuff off his hands and onto his pants. As he usually slept in boxers only, he was shirtless. The light of the muted television flickered across his bare chest, and he blinked down at it, not thinking.

Tiny figures moved across the screen in clean black and white animation. "Mickey Mouse, eh," he chuckled humourlessly, morbidly. "I've missed you." Glancing over his shoulder at the couch, he grinned at his memory; the image of Larxene, staring intently at the screen, yellow rabbit plushie wrapped in her arms and also facing the screen. Demyx had sat for most of the night in the far corner, having been tied up in a phone call shortly after the movie had started; Larxene and Marluxia had both adamantly refused to have it paused for the joking musician's sake.

The loneliness was always worst after being with people.

Then the doorbell rang. Glad as he was to have company, even after the lengthy evening with his friends that had only ended at three in the morning, he couldn't help twisting his lip into a bitter sneer. _Who'd be knocking on my door at this time?_ He yanked the flimsy-seeming wooden panel almost off its hinges.

Roxas blinked up at him. "Uh… hi." The boy said uncertainly. "I… I just left my jacket here."

Axel glanced around behind him, shaking red spikes out of his eyes. "Do you know where it is?" He asked, suddenly, inexplicably exhausted. He was _never _tired, or so he had thought…

The boy smiled, then quickly covered up a yawn, looking even younger as he smothered his mouth with a hand and ducked his head. "I think it's on top of the TV. Demyx kinda just threw it." He said apologetically, sliding in past Axel.

Green eyes followed the kid as he trotted up the hall and disappeared into a doorway at the end; the light from the TV set could still be seen from the hallway. "Got it," a muffled voice called moments later. He came wandering back up the hall to where Axel still stood in the same place.

The man blinked down at him. He hadn't noticed that Roxas was wearing black and white, instead of just the customary black that most of the others had worn. Larxene, he could've sworn, had had a pastel yellow tank top on under her black leather jacket, but he had no proof… "Mmph."

"Huh?" The sandy-haired kid cocked an eyebrow at him, still nursing the jacket. "You right?"

He shook his head. "Fine. Just kinda tired."

Roxas smiled brilliantly, and almost immediately had to cover up another yawn, burying his head in his jacket until it passed. "Same here. Well, g'night. And thanks for tonight! Larxene, she said, said it was _you_ who invited me…" he trailed off again. "Are you okay?"

A muscle in the tall redhead's cheek twitched. "…Nothing. Glad you enjoyed it."

"Bye!"

His last physical reminder of a social night disappeared quickly down that dark garden path surrounded by dying colourless grass.

* * *

Another chapter edited. Yayness. I don't know. I need to expand more on the theme of loneliness and so on, to me… eh.

**RAWR!Tallyyyy**


	3. Hangover & No Alcohol

**x-**_**CD Store Romance  
**_**3:**_**Hangover & No Alcohol**_

When Axel woke the next day, he felt like shit. Pure, utter, unadulterated, possibly-found-in-the-next-door-neighbours'-cat's-sandbox shit.

If he didn't know better, he would have classed it as a hangover. Thing was, Axel abhorred alcohol, to the degree that he tended to date girls who _did _drink it just so he'd have one more excuse to tell them to fuck off. Hence Point Number Two on the Letter Of Reasons For Breaking Up he'd penned for Alice. He liked to pretend that he gave in easily; that way he could also accuse said girl of cruelly manipulating him. Fairly standard letter that was, now that he thought about it – pretty much every reason he had listed could be used for every girl. Was that cruel, that he couldn't even be bothered being original for each one? Maybe, but he didn't care.

As he did not have a hangover, however, the only reason for this sudden, as-yet-unexplained headache had to be that he was getting sick. Add dizziness, lack of coherency in both thought and action, a sandpapered throat and the fact that not even three double-strength Aspirin tablets had caused the pounding to go away, and he could probably settle in at no less than 'fucked' in the health department.

Maybe it was a _good_ thing his house was so small. He managed to make it down the hall without banging into anything. The TV, as always, was on. Mickey Mouse was not, though, and that only made him more irritated for some reason. "Ninja Turtles should all be shelled, then cooked, then given as a food donation to a needy family," he mused aloud, eyes narrowed at the playful green fight scene before him. "Or, maybe, just _maybe_, popped into a boiling aquarium until they start developing skin abrasions from the extreme heat-"

He could hear it. Larxene's voice, in his head. Taunting him for his sadistic thoughts. God, it was awful, this sickness. "Like you aren't," he snarled at the image, pushing it away as he turned the television off. Looking down at the remote in his hand, he gave it a measuring, nasty look, then threw it across the room. It slid under a couch – the one Demyx had been on – and he grimaced.

He _had _to be sick. He wouldn't be thinking of those – those _people_, if he wasn't. It just wasn't normal Axel behaviour.

"Fuck off!" He snarled, maybe too loudly for his thin walls, as a dog started barking outside. He lurched for the table, clasping a bottle of cough syrup, and downed the stuff while he plotted mean – _very_ mean, on the level of 'you-should-be-reported-to-the-nearest-animal-protection-society' mean – things to do to that damn dog. The syrup made his already pained throat burn – _so much for actually doing something helpful_– and he glared at the bottle; one with freakin' bright, happy colours and a kitsch giraffe.

"I hate my life." He groaned.

It was 7:43 in the morning. And he had work. At ten. For the lunch shift. And he was sick.

For once, he wasn't just complaining for the sake of it. He wasn't just plain bitter; this time, he had every goddamned _right _to complain. And he wasn't even happy about it.

Life sucked.

**-x-x-x-**

On the plus side, though, he mused as he walked through the busy streets, black bag swinging at his side – maybe someone else was sick too. Spotting the coffee shop nearest to the _X_ Complex, he made a beeline for it through the crowd of people. Surveying the menu, he grinned. "Two hot chocolates," he told the woman at the counter, who smiled politely and fetched it for him, only giving him a real smile when he flashed his money and a grin of his own.

Sipping one steaming hot chocolate from the foam cup, he ducked out of the shop, hoping that Aerith didn't catch him walking in with products from another café. She could be particularly touchy and temperamental about such loyalty issues; overly so, he thought grumpily. Of course, her mode of attack in such a case was generally to act so depressed that the culprit ended up regretting it, but still, Aerith's moods were not to be laughed at. Much. His mood lightened almost instantly as he turned into the street where the complex was situated and sighted Roxas a mere two metres ahead of him.

"Hey! Roxas!"

Said blond boy turned curiously, and gave a small wave when he saw the redheaded, green-eyed man trotting up to him, all decked in dramatic black and grinning. He waited while Axel caught up, and then fell back into pace. _He seems early, _Roxas mused to himself.

"Mm, this is the time I usually get here," Axel said cheerfully enough.

Roxas blinked, slightly shocked. Mentally, he hit himself. Hard. "I said that out loud?"

Turned out he really should've spared his brain the trouble; Axel smirked, and, carefully manoeuvering his two hot drinks, smacked the boy on the forehead anyway. Confused, Roxas blinked again at him, causing Axel to laugh even more and scruff up his hair.

"…Why are you doing that?" Roxas heard himself say.

Axel cocked an eyebrow at him. "You look like a dog," he offered by way of explanation. Truly, it was some deep affectionate shit, coming from Axel, who had (secretly) loved dogs since he was a child and was (again, secretly) desperate for a golden retriever. Too bad Roxas didn't know it yet.

"Here, have one. It's on me." Axel passed him a warm foam cup before he even had time to acknowledge the comment, and just gazed at it when he got it.

"-hot chocolate. It won't bite. Maybe." The redhead was saying.

"Huh?"

Axel grinned, feeling somewhat better for the first time that morning; well enough to actually bother explaining. "I said, it's hot chocolate. I don't even know why I bought two. For that matter, I'm not even sure why I bought one…" he made a face of disgust, looking at the dark brown goop in the bottom of his cup. For some reason, the after-effects of hot chocolate on Axel were always less than pleasant. "You ain't a morning person, are you, kid."

That definitely wasn't a question from Axel. "Mm." Roxas responded absently, trying to make a negative-sounding noise and sip the chocolate at the same time. It was good – not too hot, but not cold and grainy.

Larxene looked up as they walked in together. "Hey," she muttered, dumping the price stickers she'd been applying to the new stock and walking over to greet them. Axel grunted in response.

"Not a mornin' person, eh, Axel." The blonde woman laughed, managing to convey whole worlds of nasty meaning in the short-lived sound.

Axel just tossed his cup at the bin closest to the double doors, glaring at the object when it didn't go in. Roxas obligingly picked it up for him, earning a softer look from the redhead. There were small drops of chocolate goo on the carpet the cup had flown over on its spectacular miss.

Larxene snorted. "Definitely not a morning person. Except with people you like."

"One of whom you aren't. And I am a morning person. I love morning, therefore I must be a morning person. I'm just bloody sick right now." He scowled and coughed weakly, flapping a hand at Roxas who looked suddenly, cutely concerned.

The blonde woman thought for a moment. "Well, you mustn't _not_be a morning person, because you definitely ain't _not _a _night_ person, yeah?"

"…"

Two pairs of eyes, one blue, one green, blinked at her. Axel sighed. "Shut it, Larx. You sound like Jack Sparrow on crack."

She smiled, seeming suddenly to drift off into her own world. "Yeah…"

Roxas was freaked out by the sudden change in the usually bitchy woman's attitude, and quickly trailed after Axel as he shook his head and stalked over to Demyx, who'd just come down the main stairs to the above _X Café._ The honey-haired man smiled seductively and waved, leaning back against the black metal railing in a ridiculously fake pose. "Heidi-ho, m'dear," he hailed Axel, disengaging his grip on the rail and immediately gripping Axel's arm, although the man shook him off right away, grimacing. Roxas, unnoticed to them, followed them curiously.

"Don't try my patience, Demyx," he muttered. "I'm very badly feeling the need to-"

"Molest me in the worst way possible right before all these people?"

"Screw up someone's life in the worst way possible. Namely, yours."

"Awww." The man followed him, pouting. "That's not very nice. Although I don't mind the sound of the screwing part, not at all-"

"Get away from me, dog." He turned down a predictably CD-filled isle sharply, hoping Demyx would go away.

"Why'd you call me that?"

Axel growled. "Because you're following me around like a fucking Labrador with that puppy dog look on your face." Another turn down a different isle. It didn't really need to be said that while Axel may have longed after a silky-haired golden retriever, the same sentiment could not be said about Labradors or Demyx.

That made Demyx smirk. "Really? But you like dogs, don't you? Just 'cause you can't pull off an adorable look like I can…"

"I don't need to. I'm hot as it is. Whereas you are starting to make it look like you're working over at Marluxia's and Xenmas'. Or like one of the girls at the Wonderland Club."

Demyx scowled at that. "Don't insult me. I'm much prettier than they are."

"You still say that, after I informed you your face is something akin to a monkey's behind that time?"

The CD store owner preened. "Aww, you're just saying that."

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to do something to your face. Something indescribably horrible, and involving acid and a permanent marker."

Abject horror was apparent on the musician's countenance. He knew enough to about Axel to know that Axel's most outlandish threats were the ones to watch out for. "You wouldn't."

_I swear, that guy is gonna get shot one day by some angry old woman…_ "Try me." He headed over to their usual talk place by the stairs that led up to the restaurant. Demyx followed him, holding his hands up in defeat.

"What amazing witticisms are you two trading now?" Larxene asked, the smirk on her face the closest she'd ever get to smiling in public. She'd beat them easily to their usual meeting spot, considering Axel's detouring attempts at losing his musician friend. "Here." She tossed a can of Solo to Axel, who caught it with a grunt, and merely directed a menacing look at Demyx when he looked at the woman pleadingly. "You really aren't bullshitting. You look horrible, Axel."

"Gee, thanks," was the sarcastic rejoinder.

"Any time. Dem, I had to get Yuffie out of the ska section this time – she was trying to grab a few Cat Empire CDs-"

Roxas snickered, and held his hands up innocently when Larxene whirled. "Didn't say anything. Just, does she ever stop?"

"No." She narrowed her blue eyes until the almost bold boy turned shy again – it wasn't good to encourage impertinence in the younger staff, she well believed – before informing him, "You get used to it after a while. Axel, you'd better get upstairs and work. We'll see you later, for lunch. If we don't see you, you will die if you aren't dead already. Got that clear?"

He groaned, starting up the small set of stairs. "Got it memorised, Larx. Bitch."

"Man-whore."

"Demyx, not me." He waved at the three below him, ignoring the musician's noise of protest.

His muscles were smarting when he finally reached the small landing at the head of the stairs; a definite sign that he wasn't in the best condition. Selphie beamed oh-so-brightly at him as she whizzed past with two trays of Devonshire teas, eeped as she nearly collided with a potplant, but righted herself again and hurried on.

The world above was almost completely different to that of beneath; the frenzied buzz that was always apparent in the atmosphere of the café was slowed to a lazy crawl in the CD store. Axel knew that across in the _X Palace_, the largest part of the Castle Oblivion complex the three stores were in, the pace would be somewhere between hurrying and relaxed; it was an altogether different climate (_or 'climax', ha ha_, he told himself sourly) in that place. _Stands to reason, I suppose, considering the type of business that goes on over there… I mean, god. Their motto is "Lose yourself in your fantasies"…_

Aerith nodded quickly at him as he strolled over to the counter, reaching it quickly with his long strides. Reaching in to a small, practically hidden cupboard beside her, she deftly drew out a black apron and threw it to him. He caught it and tied it around his waist, noting that the pretty brunette was short of breath. "What's up?" He asked her.

She twisted her lip. "Selphie broke a glass already. And Saïx appears to be about to explode, yet again."

He scowled, then wiped his face blank when Aerith frowned warningly at him. "It-"

"-Scares the customers, I know. What do you need me to do?"

She looked him over critically, brushing a spike of red out of his eyes, then walked around the counter briskly. "Tables four, seven, and eight are already being served. Table six is booked, but they haven't showed up yet, and I'm thinking we should hold it a little while longer-"

He interrupted her, looking over her shoulder at the pad she was referring to. "Strife? Aer, that's a little obsessive – you can't ignore the restaurant rules just because you think the guy's hot. The table goes in fifteen minutes, 'kay?"

She pouted, trying to ignore her flush. "Okay then… anyway. Tables fifteen, seventeen and, ah, oh, five too – could you take their orders? Zexion's flat out in the kitchen today; Xaldin had to go out and buy more hair nets. I keep telling him to put it all in one braid, but he always ignores me…"

"Hmm. So. Got a notepad?"

She handed him one, used to his brusque manner. "And Axel?" she said sweetly as he turned to go.

"Mm."

"Don't sneeze on the customers, honey. You're sick, I know you are even if you try to hide it, and I don't want to lose business just because you felt it was necessary to come to work today."

He gave her the Glare of Doom. She fluttered her eyelashes at him, straightened her black skirt – denim with slashes of leather – professionally, and went to see how Zexion was doing with the food.

Two hours and fifty-two minutes later, he was standing in a currently empty corner of the café, ignoring curious looks from their customers as his pink-bowed work partner crossed her arms, biting on her lip. Before them were two long tables pushed together, both with the customary black table cloths and silverware."_No_, Aerith. No flowers. Especially not pink daisies. If you want flowers on the tables, they have to be red or black roses. Got it memorised?"

The woman sulked. "But I _like _pink…"

"I know. Believe me, we _all_ know."

Decorating the tables for booked groups was always a hassle, with Aerith insisting that there be a bright colourful theme, and Axel having to insist on keeping it the same as the rest of the restaurant and complex in general – the overall theme was black, with varying fluoro colours in assorted places. The theme for the restaurant was black and red, but Aerith never liked it, even though as co-manager she'd had a say in it; she always insisted that he'd bullied her into it.

"Well…" Aerith tried to change tact. "What if I just put little pink ribbons around the rose stems then?"

"No. Okay, yeah. Whatever." He sniffed, trying to look disdainful and knowing he only looked sick. Last time he'd been to the bathroom, there had been huge dark bags under his eyes, and he knew that that with his pasty skin couldn't be a good look – this opinion seemed to be reinforced by Demyx, who, one time when he popped up the stairs to grab a small snack of bruschetta, mock screamed and ran away.

He hated that guy so very much sometimes.

Aerith finished her talking, and gave him one of those looks that said plainly 'if-you-_dare_-argue-about-this-I'll-castrate-you-because-I-_know_-you-weren't-listening'. "Any objections?" She asked him rather icily.

He merely grunted, and nodded over her shoulder as a guest rose and walked over to them. "Hot blond at six o-clock, Aer."

"Wha-?" She twirled as a guy with yellow spikes enough to rival the look of a chocobo reached them.

"Miss Gainsborough?"

"Ah, yes!" She said brightly, cheeks tinged a rosy pink. Axel shook his head, the bad mood only slightly alleviated by the sight of his co-worker in plight. He checked his gold watch. "I'm going to my lunch break. Have a good time." He pulled her long brunette braid as he strolled past, easily towering over her and the blond she was happily engaged in conversation with. She stuck her tongue out at him, blushed again when Cloud Strife smiled at her childish action, and pointedly turned her back on the redhead to continue conversing with Cloud.

Axel practically stumbled down the staff stairs; he couldn't think of a time he'd felt worse. He felt partially cheered when he saw the new kid smiling happily at the foot of the stairs, but all that was blown away when he saw that Roxas was standing with Demyx, and, to a lesser extent, Larxene. "Going to lunch," he told them, pausing briefly. "What's the music now?" It had a metal sound to it, but a little lighter; probably some kind of punk. _I don't think I mind it much, even though right now it just hurts my head._

"_My Chemical Romance_, 'Bury Me In Black.' You're actually going back to work?" Larxene asked him with a hint of incredulity, and more than a touch of disdain. "I already told you, Flame – you look crap."

"Lovely as ever." He passed a hand over his eyes tiredly. _I really hate it when she's right. I do._

Larxene gave him a long, measuring look, and pulled her black jacket on. "Come on, Roxas. We're knocking off early today."

"_Ehhh_?" Three voices chorused.

Larxene looked almost smug. "Axel's not going back to work; in fact, Dem, be a wonderful hot dear and text Zex, tell him Axel's not, please? And if he doesn't work, there's no way I'm gonna be here and suffer while he's off somewhere. So I'm going too. And Roxas shouldn't have to stay here with company like you-" she pointed contemptuously at a bewildered Demyx "-so I'm taking the kid with me. Any objections?"

"Well, uh, _yeah._" Demyx scowled. "You realise you have to ask for the manager's permission before leaving?" He crossed his arms.

Larxene smirked. "Right." She turned to Axel. "O' restaurant manager, would you kindly grant us leave?"

_If I wasn't feeling like I was about to die, I'd be laughing. _"Sure," he replied with a shrug.

"I meant _your _goddamn manager, Larx. You know that." Sea eyes surveyed the blond with her arms around the shorter trainee and the tall redhead, absently flicking a lighter as he waited. "Fine," he said at last. "I'm coming."

"Cool!" Roxas grinned, piping up, then shrinking as they looked at him in surprise.

"Speak up, Roxie-"

"'Roxie?'" Axel interrupted, snickering.

"You're allowed to talk," the blonde said to her favourite new kid. "Say something. Go on."

"…Ah… well, where are we going to go?" He said hesitantly, all eyes on him.

Demyx blinked, arms still crossed. "I didn't even think of that." He put away the phone that had been dangling from his hand for the better part of the conversation; apparently he'd already texted Zexion.

"A theme park?"

Larxene erupted into laughter, while Demyx and Axel grimaced at the trainee's suggestion. Boy in question turned bright pink and looked down.

Larxene smirked again. "What? No one wants to see me 'ride that pony' again?" Demyx hid his face in his hands.

"Larxene practically gave a strip show on the merry-go-round just out Vexen, our tech guy," Axel explained. "Trust me; you don 't want to see her at a theme park. And Xenmas threw up because he went on the Mad Mouse at Luna Park too many times after eating slush puppies."

"Oh…"

"Nouk Café?" Demyx butted in, grinning. "Their hot chocolates are the greatest."

The blonde seconded his notion. "Just out Prahran way; it'll only take about half an hour to get there."

"Nouk? I live somewhere around there," Roxas said shyly.

"Oooh, really?" The musician started for the exit, nodding to Lexaeus as they passed him. "Can we go to your place?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"Pedophile."

The man looked affronted. "Larxene, I'm not, truly. The boy isn't that much younger than me."

"Whatever." A sneeze followed this statement.

"Bless you."

_I hate being sick…_"Shut it."

* * *

More editing. Some parts are dramatically different, in fact. Good thing, too. Eugh. I cringe...

**Tallyy.**


	4. Nouk Café

**x-**_**CD Store Romance  
**_**4:**_**Nouk Café**_

"…I can't believe you hit on that guy back there."

"What? Jealous, Axel dear?"

"Hell no. Just – god. The guy was emo and ugly. What about that nose piercing?"

"Guys-"

"He wasn't _completely _ugly. That mohawk was actually quite adorable-"

"You two," Larxne hissed, grabbing the arms of both Axel and Demyx, one irritated, the other cheerfully irritating. "We have the train tickets. Now, if you'll be so kind as to actually board the train now that it is here, _before _we miss it and have to wait for the next one, I'd be more than overjoyed."

Axel crossed his arms. Demyx rolled his eyes. "Sarcastic bitch." He said playfully.

"Got that right. Now, _move._ I don't particularly want one of Aerith's ever-widening social group to spot us and tell her that we're all going to eat at some café other than her own, either. She's a stickler for loyalty, to put it mildly…"

Funny how like claws her fingers could be, Axel caught himself thinking as he squeezed in the doors between a cyclist complete with hideously tight-fitting yellow gear and a small, black-garbed Roxas, who was for some unknown reason, grinning. "What're you smiling at?"

Those big blue eyes sparkled up at him innocently. "Larxene is pretty tough, isn't she?"

Axel snorted, looking through the crowd of disinterested people on the train to a set of sliding doors further down the carriage, where Larxene and Demyx had been forced to board; the latter looked decidedly unhappy when a few giggling girls tried to summon him over to them with coy gestures and blown kisses, and the former was obviously caught between wanting to smirk, vomit and feign boredom. "She was born and raised in Frankston." He looked down, arms crossed, at the sound of a snicker. "Mm?"

"Frankston… that place is positively tame." The kid looked positively evil. "My old friends used to go down there and pick fights for fun."

"Cocky little bastard you are," Axel said, amused as he looked down. A sudden jolt from the train nearly made him fall onto the grouchy-looking, rather portly Asian businessman just in front of the cyclist and his bike; he pulled himself back in time, waiting a moment to continue the conversation. "So you think they're easy down there?"

Roxas made a little face. "Yup."

"Ever been in a real fight?"

"Yup," came the answer again. Axel blinked in disbelief.

"So what, it's like, a regular thing for you?"

"Not any more," was the glib reply. "We've turned over a new leaf, to put it in the stupidest way possible."

Axel was full on staring at him now, arms still crossed. He made as if to say something else, but the train stopped suddenly, and the thread of conversation was lost as Demyx and Larxene barrelled down the carriage to join them. Demyx seemed rather put out, gluing himself to Axel's side and informing them sulkily that he'd almost been forced to slap Larxene's ass to turn the teenagers' attention away from him.

Larxene, predictably enough, ignored it, considering she had probably already threatened him with castration and other things more dire for the mere suggestion. "Three stops!" The blonde announced dramatically with a flourish. "Then we shall dine in style!"

"The Nouk isn't _that _good, Larxene," Roxas said, mouth twisting a little. "One time, we were heading to a Cat Empire concert-"

"_Love _them," Demyx interrupted dreamily. "Most of their music sounds like it was written just for me…"

"We were going to a Cat Empire concert, and stopped at Nouk on the way, and one of us didn't have the right change and the guy got annoyed, so we stood arguing with him for a while and then our bus went past. Had to run back to the train station and go to the next stop, then catch a few trams to get to the concert early enough not to have to wait in line too long."

Larxene giggled, a very unusual gesture for her. Perhaps cackling was a more appropriate description. "Idiots. The buses are always early. Not late. If you want late, you want trains."

"Mm. We know that now." He looked adorably shamefaced, Axel noted with a grin. _He's like a little kid._

The automated voice spoke up. "_Now approaching -_"

"The hills are alive with the sound of music," Larxene suddenly started singing at the top of her lungs. Several passengers raised their heads to stare at her, most with unhappy looks. The cyclist sighed huffily and readied his bike – yellow to match his clothes – either the next stop was his or he simply couldn't stand her voice. She smirked at him, giving his outfit a derogatory lookover; even behind his riding goggles the others could see him colour angrily. The second the train slid to a stop, he was off; Demyx laughed uproariously, while Axel stared out the window and Roxas looked down, shame on his face again.

"That wasn't really called for," Axel said as the train started again.

"Like hell it wasn't," the blonde snorted. "And if these people didn't know that was Richmond, I think they're all stupid. It's, like, the main swapover point…"

The rest of the trip continued without incident.

**-x-x-x-**

"Demyx, stop stalking the emo kid…"

Musician in question huffed as the boy – or possibly girl – gave one last scared look behind him and fled; Demyx arranged his expression from the crazed grin he'd been sporting for the kid's sake and crossed his arms. "But it's _boring_, not doing anything… and that one was nearly as pissy as Zexion…"

"I know. Believe me, I know. Not about the kid, but – we're nearly there." As if to prove her point, Larxene darted across the path and around a corner; there was a chalk board out the front proclaiming that the Nouk was near. "And you've been following him since we left the train station." She called back over her shoulder. "That's just not healthy."

"And hot chocolate's supposed to be better for you?" He said resentfully, following the other three into the dark café.

"I didn't mean physically," she shot back.

Axel just coughed pathetically; his total input into the conversation so far. In concern, Roxas moved in a little closer to him – the kid was just too cute, he laughed to himself silently, then scowled as he sniffed and coughed again.

Larxene was already at the counter, ordering for the whole group. The fact that this was a common occurrence didn't stop Axel from feeling irked.

Whatever. The woman was already walking outside, intending on soaking up the sunlight at the only available table on the footpath. He simply shook his head and followed.

They chatted about inane things until their orders came – Larxene wanted to know more about Aerith's obsession with the guy she had labelled Chocobo Head, Demyx was trying to relate a little tale Marluxia had told him the other day but was finding it hard when every couple of sentences were interrupted by Larxene kicking him and glaring ferociously, Roxas was looking over his shoulder every minute with a longing gaze, clearly hungry, and Axel… was being Axel. Surly, apparently pissed off and not willing to communicate.

In other words – typical.

This was another one of those things that Roxas didn't know, though. Poor, unsuspecting kid that he was, he actually thought, _there must be something up… he usually talks more than this, doesn't he?_ Warily, he reached over, and poked him softly.

Startled green eyes stared into blue ones. "…The _hell_?"

Larxene guffawed, literally; quite a scary sound coming from her. "Freak you out, eh Axel?"

"Bitch."

"Wow. Your literate state astounds me."

"…Whatever." As Larx sighed, Axel looked over at Roxas again. "So what'd you do that for?"

The kid was already blushing. "But aren't you being… weird?" Larxene muffled a snort, and Roxas quickly continued. "Like, quiet? Don't you like talking?"

Sea eyes glimmered knowingly; Demyx bent across to Roxas, fully prepared to share his knowledge of Axel. "It's not usual for Axel to take to someone so quickly… are you sure he actually talks?"

Scowl. He leaned forward. "Of course I talk. I don't usually sing my words like you have a habit of doing."

Blue eyes held amusement; Roxas was finally adjusting to the way Demyx and Axel interacted.

Larxene sat quietly for once, looking at Demyx and Axel for a while, before she turned her attention to the boy beside her. His fair spikes of hair fell into his eyes, but he made no move to brush them away as he watched the redhead exchange witticisms with the musician. An angelic smile graced his lips. Larxene blinked, then softly smiled to herself as she leaned over to him. "Told you you'd get used to him," she murmured.

Roxas glanced at her almost guiltily, startled.

_Guilt? What does he have to feel guilty abou-_

"Hot chocolate?"

All four responded to the waitress with yeses.

**-x-x-x-**

"I'm _bored._" Larxene complained loudly, stretching, twelve minutes later. Her hot chocolate sat close to her right hand; it was nearly finished.

None of her three companions bothered to respond to her. She scowled, then arched a blonde eyebrow at them. "Fine. Be that way. Hey, Dem…"

"Mmm?" It was pretty hard to talk around the famous wedges and sour cream of Nouk.

"What's your favourite element?"

He swallowed quickly, licking his lips as he looked at her. "The hell?"

"Hell isn't an element. And you guys really need something better to say than hell all the time. Y'know, elements – like fire, earth, air, wind, water-"

"Ohh. Water, then."

"Righty." She thought for a moment while Roxas leaned forward in interest. "Fish, shark, whale – ooh, I like that one – seashell, river, flood…"

The musician smirked. "I think we've already discussed this, Larx. Y'all can call me Aquarius, or waterbaby – I'm quite partial to that, especially when Axel says it-"

"Never said it before in my life." Axel grunted, grimacing. "And-"

"Oh, you will soon enough, when I seduce you with my stunning good looks and charisma…"

"_And _never will, either." He seemed to have forgotten he was sick, gazing off into the distance. Or maybe he was simply mulling over the fact. It was also possible that he had deliberately retreated into that part of his mind that blocked out Demyx. Roxas was quite sure that such a section was permanently installed in Axel's mind, ready to be switched on at a moment's notice.

"Aquarius… 'This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius, the age of Aquarius…" Larxene sang, grinning and snapping her fingers with the beat. She turned to Roxas. "Think you've got the hang of it yet?"

He nodded, blue eyes curious, and of course, wide. _Never played this game before…_

"Cool. Righty. Me now." She grinned toothily at the three males. "I like electricity the most. Lightning."

Axel snorted, blinking to focus his eyes as he came back to the present, arms crossed. "And I suppose this has nothing to do with the way you manage to zap people when you touch them…?" He ended it on a questioning air, frowning when the blonde cackled.

"What?" Roxas twisted in his seat, frowning. "You never zapped me…"

She grinned, blue eyes flashing. "You were wearing that there great hunk of leather," she informed him, pointing to his coat and apparently ignoring the fact that the rest of them sported almost identical jackets. "And leather ain't a good conductor of electricity. See?" She ran her hand lightly over Demyx's sleeve; he stared at her suspiciously.

She made as if to remove her hand, then suddenly dropped it onto his hand. He yelped and jumped up, nursing his hand. "Shit, woman! How many times have I told you-"

The sadistic woman smirked at him. "Demyx here seems particularly susceptible to this little trick of mine," she told the newest addition to the CD store staff sweetly. "Another reason why he seems so suited to water. Anyhow. Back to the game. Thought of a song?"

"Two." The boy replied instantly.

"Oh? A quick one…"

"'Electrical Blues' and 'Thunderstruck.'"

She smiled in appreciation. "Picking the old-school ones… good choice. Sing a few bars?"

Roxas shrunk.

"Guess not, then." She shrugged. "Axel. Your turn."

He coughed. "Really need to ask?" A quick glance at the table made them all look at the lighter beside his hand. "Fire."

Larxene frowned as Roxas picked up his sandwich. "Fire… uh…"

"Heat comes from fire," Demyx offered helpfully. "And light."

"Oh…" Larxene blinked, then smiled slowly. _Oh…_"This little light o' mine, I'm gonna let it shine, this little light o' mine, I'm gonna let it shine…"

Roxas choked on laughter and a mouthful of duck and salad sandwich. "_The Seekers? _You picked The _Seekers _for _him?_"

_I'm not sure whether to be insulted or pleased…_Axel quickly chose the former as Larxene continued the song.

"Every day, every day, every day in every way, I'm gonna let my little light shine…"

Demyx applauded politely as she finished with a rather impressive rising vibrato, causing other customers to glance about at them. "Nicely done."

"Why, I thought so too." She dimpled at him, confusing the man for a minute – he didn't know Larxene possessed dimples.

Axel sighed. "Roxas, pick a song. A good song, before I summon my – what is it Demyx loves to say? – old duck pets to kill you."

"…Duck pets?"

"Gave them to Zexion. He keeps making up new inventive ways to cook them, but he cares for them too much." Axel shrugged. "He's even named them now – Huey, Dewey and Louie."

"…Why did you bring them up?"

A thumb was pointed in the direction of his sandwich. "They might be angry at you for eating Uncle Donald, ya?"

He laughed, and wolfed down the remaining portion of his sandwich. "The Used. 'I Caught Fire'."

Larxene pouted. "How come you keep coming up with all the good ones? Fine. You have to sing some now."

_I wanna but I don't… I really don't wanna…_"If you sing with me?"

"Who?" Demyx queried.

The boy shrugged, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden; at least, more so than he had been before. "Dunno. All of you?"

He got a measuring look from Axel. "All right. It's only one stanza right…"

Larxene nodded. "That's the deal. Ready? Start."

A deep, not-so-composing breath first, then… "Seemed to stop my breath, my head on your chest waiting to cave in…"

"Nice." Demyx grinned, then held his hands up in apology when the blonde woman kicked him under the table. "I know, I gotta join in…"

"-so kiss me like you did, my heart stopped beating – such a softer sin…" Roxas stopped. "That's enough. That's more than enough. And I'm never going to do that again."

Larxene hadn't joined in once. Neither had Axel. Larxene, in fact, looked as though someone had just tossed her larynx to the lions and poked her eyes a little more out of their sockets. With a blunt machete, possibly. Then she shook her head, ice eyes serious. "No way. You're singing again."

"What?" Roxas yelped. "No."

"One day, kid," the lightning quick woman said in a deceptively honeyed voice, "I will make you eat your words. Got that?" _Or maybe I'll make Yuffie do it…_

Roxas gulped. _She's… really scary like this…and that's the most evil grin I think I've ever seen...uh-oh, what's Axel thinking…_

"-isn't that right, Axie?"

"Don't call me that."

"C'mon, all you need to do is tell Roxas what his singing was like…"

"Larx, you're acting as clingy as Demyx was earlier today." The woman made a disgusted face at the unexpected insult. "Besides, I don't know anything about music, remember?" He pushed himself away from the table, looking anything but pleased for some reason.

"All you need to do is say something to him…" Larxene growled and swung herself out of her chair in a smooth motion, grabbing a handful of red spikes and muttering into the startled ear offered to her, "Just say something. He needs the boost in confidence. And you're," she hissed, "believe it or not, he really likes you and-slash-or looks up to you. So do something."

Oh. He blinked. _So that's how it is…_he pulled away from Larxene stiffly, looking down. _Is it just me or has he been perpetually red since he had to sing? _"Why're you still red? Ah, shit, Larx, don't kick me like that – and don't freakin' glare at me either!"

Roxas had flushed anew at Axel's words, looking down. _This is kinda awkward… Larxene, if you are telepathic, I hope you get this message – I hate you, never do that to me again. _Then he gulped, and quickly modified the wording; if Larxene was telepathic, he never, _ever _wanted her to hear 'I hate you' coming from him. The consequences of such a phrase were probably terrifying.

"-good. And don't kick me again, you lightning-loving freak."

"What?" _Man, I zoned out… what did he say to me again?_

Green eyes locked on to blue all of a sudden, and Roxas wasn't game to move. "I said," The red-haired, skinny and imposing man said softly, "that your singing was great. Really good, even if I'm not a good judge."

"Oh…" Roxas was speechless.

"Now let's go." He shrugged off the arm Larxene tossed around his shoulders and strode away, ignoring the questioning gazes on his back.

**-x-x-x-**

"You know…"

"What is it, Demyx?"

Demyx smiled, for once not seeming devious. "We never asked Roxas what his favourite element was." He pointed ahead to where the boy wandered along the oak-lined path, staring above him at the cloud writing.

"What the hell does 'BOLE' mean?" He called over his shoulder, earning two shrugs and a dismissive grunt from his companions.

Demyx grabbed the hands of his two co-workers and dragged them until they were level with their younger addition. "Hey, Rox?"

"Eh?"

"How do you like our little outing in the park so far?" Calm sea eyes crinkled with laughter. "And… what's your favourite element? We never got around to asking that."

"Uh…" he hesitated. "Can you answer me something first? Please?"

"Sure. As long as it refers to my sex life, or some form of sexual activity."

Roxas flushed. "It… doesn't…"

"Don't ask, then – god damn you, Larx, stop hitting us every time we tease the bugger!" He massaged his aching scalp as Larxene smiled across at Roxas, an invitation to continue.

"Do you do this all the time?"

"Do what?" Axel blinked, startled from his reverie. He had an uncomfortable habit lately of walking about with his head in the clouds – it was starting to get to be an annoying tendency.

The kid was regular as clockwork with his blushing. "Go out during the day…" he trailed off, not really sure how to phrase the question.

Larxene shook her head. "Nope. Each weekend, though. Today was an exception because of Axel."

"Then… why am I here?"

"As their personal sex toy." The woman deadpanned. Twin smacks resounded as Axel and Demyx both whacked her over the back of the head. Roxas, of course, went even redder.

"You can't bash us for doing something you do yourself…"

"What he said." Demyx had never looked so sulky; doubtless, pissed that Larxene was infringing on his realm of sexual innuendo.

There was a sigh. "Fine. Anyway, Roxas, you didn't answer yet. What's your element?"

Roxas glanced around, nose wrinkling. Dappled light decorated the browning grass beneath the trees; the funny thing was that he'd already thought about the question, and not just when it had been asked of everyone earlier. "Light, actually."

"Light…" Axel mused. "Like, that supposed to, uh, make you pure?"

_Compliment? _"Does it help if I say shadow too? Light and dark?" The blue-eyed boy retorted, folding his arms. He looked defiant for some reason.

"Meh. Okay then…" Axel glanced across to Larxene. _He suddenly turned into a typical teenager… what's up with that? _"Got a song for him?"

Larxene was frowning, looking down. "Uh…" A furiously thinking expression was in place on her face; obviously this one was baffling her.

"Hey! Dickhead! _Axel_!"

Roxas spun to face the source of the venomous tone; he nearly opened his mouth to speak until three black shapes pushed past him.

Axel stood at the head of the group, arms crossed. Demyx and Larxene flanked him in a similar fashion; obviously this sort of thing had happened before. A long moment passed with the three figures in trenchcoats looking over the person who'd just verbally assaulted one of them. "Oh, is that Jasmine I see behind you?" said the redhead suddenly, peering over the shoulder of a very angry young man.

It must have been her name; an attractive dark-haired girl decked in blue glanced around the youth. "Bastard." She hissed.

"Touché. What'd I do this time?"

_Yup, it's definitely happened before…_Roxas sighed inwardly, satisfying himself with the odd glimpse when Larxene shifted her stance. It wasn't his fight.

"I'm Aladdin."

It _hadn't _been his fight, anyway. However, a familiar name was enough to make Roxas gape for a moment._ Aladdin? What the hell does he want with Axel? _Roxas' mind worked furiously – he tried to worm his way around Demyx – slowly, very slowly – without being noticed.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Aladdin crossed his arms, glaring at Larxene. "This bastard, he used my girlfriend, then just threw her away!"

A blonde eyebrow arched at the angry statement. "So? He does it all the time. Axel screws _everyone _over; girlfriends and normal friends alike. He's done it to me-" she peered across at Axel. "How many times?"

"I don't usually count."

"Mm. Well. Tell your girlfriend… tell her not to take it to heart, since she can't seem to speak for herself." Jasmine, hovering at the furious boyfriend's shoulder, flushed with embarrassment and resentment.

"She ain't the only one. Get used to it." Said Axel coldly.

"Shut it, Aladdin." Came a small but firm voice. Roxas pushed his way to the front; Larxene and Axel frowned at him; Demyx gave a tiny grin at this new development.

"Roxas?" The black-haired guy sounded confused. "You…? You hang out with a dickhead like this?"

He shook his head. "He's not all bad," Roxas, by far the shortest in the group, said softly. "Once you get to know him." He frowned a little when the angry man went to say something.

Instead, Aladdin hmphed and crossed his arms, looking over the group for a while. "Saw Sora the other day," he began in a bored voice.

Roxas tensed noticeably. "Don't bring him up-"

"-Pity you couldn't have turned out more like him, kid." He finished, biting off each word angrily.

Roxas glared for a moment, apparently forgetting everyone except himself and Aladdin, then suddenly turned and stalked away.

* * *

Roar, hear me roar, I am le editing.

**This has been TALLYYYYYYY.**


	5. First Interlude

**x-**_**CD Store Romance**__**  
**_**5: First Interlude**

Late night television bored Axel. It was almost as bad as early morning television – if there wasn't badly composed pornographic films or telecommercials, it was aerobics and old-fashioned cult movies. Not that he minded old-fashioned cult movies, if only for the old-fashioned cultiness of them…

…There wasn't really much difference between the aerobics and the dodgy porn, either, Axel finally concluded with a sigh after having flicked back and forth between the two channels that had each show running for the past fifteen minutes. Both just had women in weird positions, crying out and jiggling, panting and acting all pleased…

Heh.

"Am I sick of sex?" He wondered aloud to the empty house. "Good thing I broke it off with Alice…"

The shadows laughed at him, flickering through various shapes and sizes as he flipped his lighter.

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

"Shit." It was too boring. Too bad he was an insomniac at the best of times.

The black-and-white images of an olden-day ad, on for show, cast even more artificial creatures along his walls; the hideous wallpaper made it even worse.

"I'm going for a walk."

And so, Axel picked up his jacket – all black and leather and hunk and brooding – and, slinging it over one bony barely-covered shoulder, strolled out of the house, slamming the peeling fly-screen door, jangling his keys in his pocket (but not bothering to lock the front door) and even whistling cheerfully.

…_Did I honestly just tell my house I was going out?_

He shook his head; grumbled a little bit to himself when a strand of hair got in one slanted eye. _Whatever. I need a pet._

**-x-x-x-**

_Smack._

_Smack._

_Thud._

_Smack._

_Thud._

"Ow."

"C'mon, Rox, give it a break already!" Came a familiar voice, It was cute, he gave it that, and certainly petulant in the cutest kind of way, but, Roxas thought, in amidst all that dark cloud of anger and gloom and doom, no less annoying for all its sweetness and appeal.

Of course, being Roxas, he turned just a little and gave the girl a Look of Patented Roxas' Doom.

…Oh, come on. Did it really matter that much that the patent was pending? Or that the name of the look was completely incorrect, grammar-wise, and made absolutely no sense at all?

But with his blue eyes narrowed _just so_from beneath that shock of dark blond hair, and an over-the-shoulder look to top it all off; it was no wonder that Rikku's braids were quaking as they dangled from her pretty blonde head, if only for a moment.

With a sniff, Roxas turned back to the punching bag, gloved fists at the ready once again. "Go back to bed, Rikku. Why are you even here in the first place? You don't live anywhere near the dojo."

_Thump._

_Thump._

Slipping in through the door and closing it silently, the girl stuck her tongue out at her younger cousin. "I should ask the same of you."

Now Roxas halted in his bashing of the punching bag, raising one eyebrow at Rikku. _I'm not getting anywhere like this._"Well, you don't live anywhere near the dojo, either. At least I'm _dressed_, and I've been responsible enough to be given a _key_ by _Sephiroth_, _and_I don't have a dad who'd kill me if he found out I was at the dojo alone at –" he quickly checked his watch, lying on the floor beside him "– four fifty-two in the morning."

_Slap._

_Thud._

_Smack._

_Smack._

"I'm not alone," she pointed out reasonably, watching him. "And by the thorough beating you're giving that punching bag, there, I'd hate – really, really hate it – if I was someone who wanted to mug you in a dark alley. You scare even me sometimes. Why are you training at this time anyway? Cid would really be worried at _that_, not at me being here at this time."

"Why are you here?" That last punch of his really lacked style; he grimaced and readjusted his glove.

"Pfft. I was sleeping over next door at Paine and Gippal's," she informed him with a dramatic sigh.

Roxas paused once again – that explained her current state of dress, (or lack thereof), in only striped green short-shorts and a rather revealing yellow top. Hell, there was even some lace on the hems of the shorts! "They're living together now? That must be hard on you," he said to her with real sympathy.

Rikku grinned with the faintest hint of hard-to-hold composure, shaking that great mass of braids. "Not really. This way, I can see two of my favouritest people at the same time." She told him with a weak little smile. "Right? Anyways, I was just sleeping next door, woke up, saw a light on, wondered who it was. I'm sure you can understand."

"Hmph." He punched the bag a few times once again, adding several hooks into the equation, not sure why he was so angry all of a sudden. _Not really. I don't have two crushes of differing sexes banging each other in the middle of the night._

That seemed too harsh to say, even in the state he was in.

Preoccupied, he didn't notice Rikku wander over to pull on some shin pads and gloves until she tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Spar?" She said gently, with a shimmer of her usual brightness.

He nodded, and let himself be led to the training mats.

**-x-x-x-**

Larxene was _bored_. A night out on the town with Demyx wasn't all it was cracked out to be, even with Luxord along for laughs. He was just too _namby-pamby_; water-boy couldn't even hold his drink! Luxord had just laughed when the young man had passed out, hefted the body up over one shoulder and told her – with the most arrogant look possible in his icy-blue eyes, the stinking, low-life cheating bastard – that he'd 'take the baby home for the night'.

…not that she didn't agree with his terminology, but _still._

Hence, Larxene was not only bored, but _angry_. The combination of the two made the blonde woman quite the sadistic little bitch; even nastier than usual, really.

It made sense to her, in that case, to hunt down Marluxia. Saturdays were the busy man's night off, as weekends were supposed to be the 'quality family time' between all those cheating wives and cheating husbands.

Only one problem, really, that she could think of as she pocketed a flogged pack of ciggies and strode off in the general direction of Marlurxia's place. There was only one thing that Larxene didn't want to find Marluxia doing, apart from karaoke, masturbation, smoking crack or watching Disney – or any other activity, really – and that was sorting out his sex toys.

Dear _gods._The thought nearly made the blonde woman stop right in her tracks in horror.

And that, dear readers, is where you note the 'almost'.

Bored Larxene can conquer all; that is, until she tires even of world domination.

And considering where Larxene was right now – conveniently enough, about two doors down from Marluxia's place – she figured she might as well keep going, anyway. When she reached the doorway, she prudently (which was code for 'maliciously' in Larxene's dictionary of Very Mean Things To Do) decided to listen in first.

…Good thing, that.

"_Ahh, fuck! Harder, dammit!"_

_Grunt._

"_More! More!__**More!**__"_

**-x-x-x-**

An owl flitted overhead; in the distance a dog barked. Shadows danced and whirled; the windy night had trees blowing every which way. A cat slunk across his path at one stage; its eyes gleamed, eerily fluorescent, at him, then disappeared. Two drunks slept, snoring, on each other's shoulder, seated on a park bench.

For the life of him, Axel couldn't work out why he'd thought that the park would be a better place to be than his house, despite the company.

Flipping his lighter, he lit up a cigarette deftly. It seemed to help every now and then, even with the acrid smoke burning his lungs, even with the atmosphere around him – that dead, dark, dangerously still and quiet feel there always is when one is alone in a park at some insane hour of the morning…

"Hello there."

"_Ugh!_" With that said, Axel spun around in a most ungainly manner, only just managing to retain his balance and cigarette in a movement that resembled a merry-go-round on steroids gone crazy and –

_Did I really just think that? Eugh. Too much Yuffie. Bad Axel. Baaad._

Axel stumbled as he took a step back to take a look at his sudden companion, jerking up short as a bony hand latched around his wrist. Of course, he immediately glared upwards at that.

Dark hair, dark eyes – oh _gawd,_was that a pornstache? Ah, well, not quite, but you never could tell with the lighting in parks nowdays, and he still had one of those hideous, greasy, twisted little goaties – really tall, really thin ('_wow_, a mirror of Axel _himself_', others might joke, but take into account that Axel is attractive, and this man was, well, _not_), a turban with one helluva chunk of red jewel smack bang in the center…

Hokay. Axel had to admit to himself that he had probably just been accosted by the weirdest-looking and most obvious dealer of all things nasty in the entire city.

**-x-x-x-**

_Nice. _"Little flying kick there, Rikku?" Roxas grinned, enjoying the mock fight. He rocked back on his heels as she feinted in, testing.

The girl smirked back. "Not so little – got above my head."

Roxas couldn't help but laugh at that. "I can kick above your head, too."

A tongue was stuck out at him, in the most childish manner possible. "I know. But it still makes me better in proportion to my size, right?"

_Dammit. I hate smart people._Instead of answering verbally, he swung a wide hook at her, one the lithe teen dodged easily. Rikku retaliated with a swift triple roundhouse as she ducked around the slower boy, connecting all three times, albeit gently, and Roxas scowled at her. His speed was nothing to laugh at, but it was also nothing when compared to hers.

Circling each other warily, hands at the ready, Roxas belatedly realized one advantage he had over her – with such revealing clothing, she couldn't hide her movements as easily as he could. Any sudden movements on his part were hidden at least slightly by his loosegrey shirt, and the equally baggy black pants. It was possible he could make up for the lack of speed by watching carefully…

In a split second, Rikku lunged towards him. Taken by surprise, it was all the boy could do to keep his balance and try to fend off the worst. Rikku had a lot of anger to take out, it appeared; he was only lucky that she wasn't aiming for the areas that really hurt. Attempting to block a barrage of kicks and punches, he stumbled backwards after a confusing flurry of jabs alternating between the stomach and the face to find himself up close and personal with a black glove.

Rikku's black glove, on Rikku's fist.

Less than two centimeters from his nose.

Roxas grinned. "Yield." He told her, holding his hands up in a gesture of defeat. He wasn't surprised that she had won; when it came to fighting, although Rikku appeared a ditz, she focused when she fought and she fought _hard._

She smiled at him. Both breathing heavily, they walked slowly off the mats to cool down.

**-x-x-x-**

_Beep._

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

_Ri_—

"Hello?"

The blonde grinned. "Glad to see you're awake, Auron."

There was an irritated sigh on the other end. "I'm always awake for you, Larx. What do you want? It's kind of early."

Another grin, this time with a little more happiness. "Well," she began slowly, arching an eyebrow at her surrounds; artificial lighting abounded in the various streets in St. Kilda, in particular those bright neon ones. She shuddered when her eyes were drawn to a bright blue-and-orange sign flashing some distance off ('_fresh steaks only $13 a kilo!! Can't be bought anywhere else_!' – yeah, _what?_) and quickly turned her attention back to the small pink mobile in her hand. "I'm looking for a place to be."

"…"

"As in, some place _interesting.__"_

"…"

She sighed, and gave up for the time being. "Are there any clubs in Kilda? Luxord already took Demyx home, so I'm all alone. And bored."

There was a slight shuffling sound on the other end of the receiver, then Auron spoke again in his gravelly voice. "I'll give you a friend's phone number. You'll like hanging out with him. Silver hair, nice eyes, smart-ass personality – you'll get on great."

_Bitch._"Bitch." She said into the receiver, jotting down the number – she always kept a pen on her for such emergencies – and detachedly noting that it was a mobile. "But I won't tonight. I think I'd better go find Axel," she suddenly commented with surprise, "he's not so hot right now! I mean, recovering from a cold, all angsty... Right! How'd I forget?"

The only sound for a few moments was a slight _thud, thud, thud._

"Hush now, Aury." Larxene's grin was practically predatory. "You know I didn't _mean _to wake you like this, and disturb you for my own sake, and blab on until I realise that I really do have something to do, and all –"

_Beep._

**-x-x-x-**

"Did you just touch my ass?"

"I did not."

"You just touched my _ass_." Acting on instinct, Axel swung a hand hard toward the other's face. The tall thin man (Jafar, he had called himself, with a leer and a wink) moved in again, face twisted into anger.

_Don't wander the park when you're out by your own, especially at night._ An unspoken city rule – unspoken, because you weren't supposed to be so much of a fool as to ignore it. Axel grunted sourly as the crazy man said something wildly under his breath and reached out again. _His hands are like claws..._"Whoa, _holy_ -"

He never finished the sentence. A powerful kick to the back of the knees felled the creepy man before him.

And Axel looked up, into shadows that barely made out hair spiky enough to rival his own or Roxas', and blue eyes that were so, so deep.

**-x-x-x-**

In one part of the city, a blonde woman smirked as she surveyed her new partner in crime for the night. A few kilometres east, a fair-haired boy and a small blonde girl cooled down from their workout, chatting pleasurably. And several suburbs away, a green-eyed, flame-haired man sniffed disdainfully at the damage around him and moved a few metres away, beside the brunet, to watch the sun rise clearly.

* * *

Edited and all, yay for me. Next chapter. Hahaaah.

**Tallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.**


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